It was late in the afternoon, but my head was still pounding from whatever this man had been pouring down my throat last night. Jacob Wescott was seated across the table from me and busy telling me about the deal we had struck last night. I remember him as one of the players when I joined the poker game, but after that I barely remember winning that last hand. The job we agreed to do together, I don’t remember. Now he was going on about a third man that was would join us. He was so into what he was talking about that he hadn’t noticed that I wasn’t listening.

He looked like a gunslinger. The softer hands, the hat pulled low, the gun in the holster on his hip. The job was to guard someone, which was the type of job a gunslinger would take. But Jacob’s brown eyes said that he wasn’t a gunslinger. My guess is that he’d shoot if you gave him a reason, but it had to be a good reason.

I had left the farm to become a gunslinger and had hoped to get a job as such. Jacob didn’t seem to be quite what I was looking for. However, I thought I’d go along with the job because the trip this far had drained my money down to the point of not having enough for a hotel.

We both jumped when the kitchen door banged shut. I looked up to see a man dressed like a gunslinger with jeans, black jacket and black hat. His gun sat in the holster that rested snuggly on his hips in easy reach. He was a foot shorter than me and skinny but I wouldn’t bet that he couldn’t handle himself. By the looks of him he had just ridden into town.

“Alex,” Jacob was surprised.

“You were expectin’ Nadine?” Alex asked. There was no humour in the question.

“Alex Turner, Toby Lawton,” Jacob introduced us. Alex offered his hand and I shook it. His handshake was firm and his green eyes were muddy. I noticed several scars along his throat.

We all sat down, Alex taking the chair at one end of the table.

“You said somethin’ ‘bout a job,” Alex said to Jacob. Alex took his hat off and ran his fingers through his short, brown hair.

“Guard duty,” Jacob said, “A man wants three guards to escort him an’ his wife from here to Dustcloud.”

“Very specific instructions,” Alex said.

“It sounds like he’s done this before,” Jacob replied.

“When’s this s’posed to happen?” Alex asked.

“Tomorrow mornin’,” Jacob answered, “Probably not too early. He said he’d pay fifteen hundred at the start and end of the journey.”

“You got time an’ place tomorrow?” I asked. Jacob frowned as if he didn’t like the question.

“I was goin’ to confirm those details today,” Jacob answered.

“It’s getting’ kinda late in the day, maybe you should be getting’ those details soon,” Alex suggested, “This man might’ve hired someone else for the job.”

“I’ll go now,” Jacob said as he stood up. He put his coat on and stomped out of the house. Alex turned to me; it felt like he was studying me.

“How’d Jacob talk you into this job?” Alex asked.

“I was drunk,” I answered. A light that looked like it should have been accompanied by laughter flickered in those green eyes, then it was gone.

“Sounds about right,” Alex said, “Jacob will do practically anythin’ to get his own way once an idea gets into his head.”

“What about you?” I asked.

“He helped me out a couple years ago an’ every time I’ve tried to say no since he reminds me of it,” Alex answered, “Someday it won’t work.”

“You’ve been doin’ this kind of work long?” I asked.

“Three years,” Alex answered, “Seems longer when you’re on the move. I’m guessin’ you were a farmer ‘fore you headed out on your own.”

“If you listen to my father I still am a farmer,” I replied.

“Ever plan on goin’ back?” Alex asked.

“Only if I’m the only one left to claim the land,” I answered, “My father, brother an’ brother-in-law are workin’ the farm. They don’t need another mouth to feed.”